Rear sight for guns



Dec. 30, 1958 E. R. COLLINS REAR SIGHT FOR suns Filed April 16, 1956 ON QN a 5 Tu NW ON \N E SW V INVENTOR: R R. COLLINS, I a I d? ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent REAR SIGHT FOR GUNS Elmer R. Collins, Salt Lake City, Utah Application April 16, 1956, Serial No. 578,308

4 Claims. (Cl. 33-51) This invention relates to sights for gun's, and particularly to those adapted for the sighting of moving objects such as flying game birds.

The invention is concerned with a rear sight for the purpose, that may be used with any standard front sight and can be installed quickly and easily on existing guns without alteration of any kind.

One of the principal puropses of the invention is to provide for aiming the gun in advance of a moving object, while framing such object so that its motion may be easily followed during the drawing of a bead thereon.

A purpose is to make possible rapid change in sighting, from one direction of travel of a target to another, without disconcerting the gunner or making it necessary for him to accommodate his sighting eye to different sighting criteria.

Another purpose is to provide for computing of proper lead by the gunner while he keeps a moving target framed.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a rectilinear, side-by-side series of three sighting window openings symmetrically arranged with respect to the mounting axis of the device, the three window openings forming a laterally extending rectangle.

For the purpose of computing proper lead, a feature is the provision of scales, preferably both horizontal and vertical, along the framing members defining the respective window openings.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the particular preferred embodiment illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a gun equipped with a rear sight conforming to the invention, an advanced line of fire relative to the line of sight, with respect to elevation, being indicated by broken lines;

Fig. 2, a top plan View, indicating, by broken lines and with respect to horizontal traverse, an advanced line of fire relative to the line of sight;

Fig. 3, a front elevation of the rear sight shown in Figs. 1 and 2, drawn to a scale greatly enlarged over that of Figs. 1 and 2, and showing the working face of the sight;

Fig. 4, a corresponding view taken with respect to the opposite face of such gun sight;

Fig. 5, a top plan view oriented on the sheet in conformity with the position of the device in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6, a vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7, a front face view in perspective of a somewhat modified version of the sight.

Referring to the drawing:

The gun 10 of Figs. 1 and 2 is typical of sporting shotguns to which the gun sight 11 of the invention is particularly adapted as the rear sight thereof. The gun sight 11 may be fabricated in any suitable manner, preferably by die casting when made of metal and by injection molding when made of plastic.

" ice In the form illustrated in Figs. 1-5, it comprises integrally formed framing members defining a rectilinear series of three rectangular window openings, there being a center window opening 12 flanked by two opposite end Window openings 13. The center window opening 12 may be but is not necessarily the same size as the end window openings 13, but the latter window openings should be of equal size.

Elongate and rectilinear frame members 14 and 15 extend in parallel longitudinally of the sight at the bottom and top thereof, respectively, to provide bottom and top attenuate framing members for the individual windows, while uprights 16 extend in mutually spaced, parallel relationship therebetween to provide lateral attenuate framing members for the respective windows.

The top framing member 15 is desirably provided with a rearwardly projecting and longitudinally extending, integrally formed rib 15a for reinforcing purposes.

Any suitable mounting means may be provided for attaching the sight to the rear sight mount of the gun. Advantageously, a rearwardly projecting foot 17, having an arcuately concave undersurface 17a, is molded integrally with the remainder of the sight, or is otherwise fabricated and secured in proper position relative to the framing members. The curvature of such concave undersurface 17a extends transversely of the foot 17 and conforms generally to the convex curvature of the rear sight mount of the gun, so that the sight may be firmly secured upon such rear sight mount with the longitudinal extension of the series of window openings disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the gun. Thus, the mounting axis of the sight extends at right angles to the longitudinal extension of the series of window openings and coincident with the longitudinal axis of the gun.

In order to make the sight symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal or sighting axis of the gun, the mounting axis, indicated by the broken line 18 in Fig. 5, of the foot 17 or other mounting means, is disposed so as to bisect the center window opening 12 of the series.

While not necessary, it is preferable and a feature of the invention that the framing members 14, 15, and 16, or selected ones of these, be marked on their forward working faces with scales of equal divisions such as indicated in Fig. 3.

In the application of the sight 11 to the gun 10, it is convenient to utilize a heavy and wide rubber band 19 encircling the full girth of the gun at or adjacent the customary rear sight mounting area, and comprehending the mounting foot 17 of the sight. Thus, the sight is snugly and firmly clamped in place during use, but may be easily and quickly removed from the gun for storage independently of the gun itself.

The embodiment of Fig. 7 is essentially similar to the foregoing embodiment, but each lateral framing member intermediate the ends of the sight are formed merely by a pair of opposing and mutually spaced stubs 20 defining a gap 21 therebetween. Thus, in this instance, the center window opening 22 is defined laterally only by the stubs 20, and neither it nor the end window openings 23 are continuously framed, as are the window openings 12 and 13 in the first embodiment.

While this form of the invention may also be scaled as in Fig. 3, it is here illustrated without scale marks of any kind.

In the use of the sight, see Figs. 1 and 2, a bead is drawn on the flying or otherwise moving target 24 through any of the individual windows, depending upon the direction of movement of the target. The particular portion of any window which should be used in any given instance depends upon the gunners estimate of the range, elevation, and speed of travel of the target. Its selection is facilitated by the scales marked off on the framing members.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to certain specific preferred forms thereof, it should be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which here follow.

I claim:

1. A rear sight for shotguns, comprising framing menr bers defining a rectilinear series of three rertangular window openings which are each approximately square in configuration, the said series being itself of elongate rectangular formation, and the framing members being attenuate in respective width and thickness as compared to the breadth of the respective window openings; and rp ounting ,.means disposed centrally of one of the longitudinal members of said window-defining members, with its mounting axis bisecting the center Window opening of said series and extending at right angles to the longitudinal extension of said series, whereby the sight is horizontal when installed, with its length extending transversely of the length of the gun, and substantially uninterrupted, panoramic, framed vision is provided throughout 2. laterally extended area.

2. The gun sight of claim 1, wherein the window openings are each continuously framed by framing members.

3. The gun sight of claim 2, wherein the framing members are marked along their lengths with scale gradnations.

4. The gun sight of claim 1, wherein lateral framing members intermediate opposite ends of the series of window openings each comprise opposing stubs defining a gap therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

